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Mehdi Kord Noghani, Ali Salmani,
year 3, Issue 10 (2-2020)
year 3, Issue 10 (2-2020)
Abstract
Abstract
Muhammad Zaman, painter of the Safavid era, in some of his paintings has copied the western (“Farangi”) works. He has also used some of the techniques of the Western Modern age painting in some of his original works, having a traditional theme. Among these techniques, perspective has a great significance. In his copied works, Muhammad Zaman has used the perspective correctly, but in his original works, sometimes the perspective has been done correctly and sometimes incorrectly and unaligned. Until now, some commentators have argued that the use of perspective by Muhammad Zaman was due to a kind of incompetency and lack of academic education. In this article, in contrast to this view, it is argued that the point about Muhammad Zaman’s correct/incorrect use of perspective has been underestimated and therefore, there is a need to reinterpret what has hitherto been considered as a simple inaccuracy. In his original works, Muhammad Zaman, has arisen a question about the relation between traditional Persian miniatures and Western painting. Hence, in this paper, by examining some of the original works of Muhammad Zaman, this question is discussed and it is claimed that in the absence of theoretical discussions concerning the relation between the old and the new elements in painting, the inevitable result was the domination of Western perspective on Iranian painting. In other words, the works of Muhammad Zaman can be considered as a vehicle for “thinking”. Imaginary atmosphere of Persian painting and the Western perspective are mutually exclusive, and Muhammad Zaman transformed this incompatibility to the image as a “question”.
Keywords: Muhammad Zaman, Perspective, Painting of Safavid.
Introduction
The title of my Ph.D. thesis was “The problem of basis in theoretical Iranian art studies”. While writing the thesis, I encountered issues that needed further study. Perspective was one of those issues. Formerly, I had read important works such as Panofsky’s Perspective as Symbolic Form and Belting’s Florence and Baghdad: Renaissance Art and Arab Science, but it seemed to me that the Perspective issue in Iran had certain conditions that had to be examined in the greater context of the nature of art in Iran. It is not possible to describe that framework in detail here, but I would point out that at the time of the emergence of perspective in Iranian painting, there was not even a word for “Fine Arts” in Iran. Of course, in Europe at that time such a term had not yet been formed as well, but the situation in Iran was different. So, there was no theoretical understanding of the arts at that time and there was also no treatise on perspective. The issue of perspective was important because, unlike other western techniques, the structure of Iranian painting and western perspective were mutually exclusive. Muhammad Zaman was among the first painters to use perspective, but as I will explain, this use was problematic. In this article, I will try to show how his works can be considered as a vehicle for this problem.
Muhammad Zaman and the Problem of Perspective
In some of his paintings, Muhammad Zaman has copied the western paintings. In Persian, it calls “Farangi-sazi” (This terms means making paintings by imitating western themes or techniques). In these paintings perspective has been used almost correctly and shows that he was briefly acquainted with this technique. But he also has “original works” which are more important to my discussion. In the latter works, sometimes the perspective has been done correctly and sometimes incorrectly and unaligned. Although these “original works” have a Persian theme, their form is a combination of western and Persian principles. Contrary to the supposition of a group of researchers, some other scholars have proven that Muhammad Zaman has never traveled to Italy and India. In this article, this issue is not discussed and, instead, his remaining works are addressed. So, in this article, five “original” paintings of Muhammad Zaman are examined: “A meeting between Afrasiab and Garsivaz”, “Fitna and Bahram Gur”, “Simurgh appearing at the birth of Rustam”, “Bestowal of a ring”, and Finally “Head of Iraj presented to Salm and Tur”. I will first show that in them the structure of Iranian painting is combined with the wrong and correct perspectives. There are two hypotheses about the combination of incorrect and correct perspectives of these works: First, Muhammad Zaman did not have a proper understanding of the western linear perspective, which indicates that he had not traveled to Italy and he did not have academic education in painting. The other hypothesis is that he, consciously or unconsciously, realized the contradiction between the Imaginary atmosphere of Persian painting and the Western perspective, and therefore transformed this contradiction to the image as a “question”. In this paper, taking into account some considerations, the second hypothesis is defended. In the final section, two issues are considered: Before Muhammad Zaman and after him. Before him, Behzad, Reza Abbasi and their followers had provided a groundwork for the encounter between Western and Iranian paintings. But perspective was never a problem for them. It was Muhammad Zaman who, using perspectives in his original works, dared and crossed the boundaries of tradition (“Sunnah”). However, he could not find a clear answer. After him, this question was neglected and considered as a style in Iranian painting, the so-called “Farangi-sazi”. His question, however, had the potential to be viewed as a question of painting style, as well as the question about the larger context of our relation with the West.
Conclusion
Iran has inevitably encountered West since the Safavid era, and its arts were no exception. In that time, Muhammad Zaman made new experiences in painting, of which perspective was the most problematic one. His style continued until the Qajar period among some painters. According to some scholars, Kamal-ol-Molk eventually corrected them. But did they make a mistake? Can art be said to be true and false? No! I finally conclude that Muhammad Zaman’s “gaze” was lost, and today we can regard his work as a “visual question” that helps us understand the nature of Iranian art in the modern era.
Muhammad Zaman, painter of the Safavid era, in some of his paintings has copied the western (“Farangi”) works. He has also used some of the techniques of the Western Modern age painting in some of his original works, having a traditional theme. Among these techniques, perspective has a great significance. In his copied works, Muhammad Zaman has used the perspective correctly, but in his original works, sometimes the perspective has been done correctly and sometimes incorrectly and unaligned. Until now, some commentators have argued that the use of perspective by Muhammad Zaman was due to a kind of incompetency and lack of academic education. In this article, in contrast to this view, it is argued that the point about Muhammad Zaman’s correct/incorrect use of perspective has been underestimated and therefore, there is a need to reinterpret what has hitherto been considered as a simple inaccuracy. In his original works, Muhammad Zaman, has arisen a question about the relation between traditional Persian miniatures and Western painting. Hence, in this paper, by examining some of the original works of Muhammad Zaman, this question is discussed and it is claimed that in the absence of theoretical discussions concerning the relation between the old and the new elements in painting, the inevitable result was the domination of Western perspective on Iranian painting. In other words, the works of Muhammad Zaman can be considered as a vehicle for “thinking”. Imaginary atmosphere of Persian painting and the Western perspective are mutually exclusive, and Muhammad Zaman transformed this incompatibility to the image as a “question”.
Keywords: Muhammad Zaman, Perspective, Painting of Safavid.
Introduction
The title of my Ph.D. thesis was “The problem of basis in theoretical Iranian art studies”. While writing the thesis, I encountered issues that needed further study. Perspective was one of those issues. Formerly, I had read important works such as Panofsky’s Perspective as Symbolic Form and Belting’s Florence and Baghdad: Renaissance Art and Arab Science, but it seemed to me that the Perspective issue in Iran had certain conditions that had to be examined in the greater context of the nature of art in Iran. It is not possible to describe that framework in detail here, but I would point out that at the time of the emergence of perspective in Iranian painting, there was not even a word for “Fine Arts” in Iran. Of course, in Europe at that time such a term had not yet been formed as well, but the situation in Iran was different. So, there was no theoretical understanding of the arts at that time and there was also no treatise on perspective. The issue of perspective was important because, unlike other western techniques, the structure of Iranian painting and western perspective were mutually exclusive. Muhammad Zaman was among the first painters to use perspective, but as I will explain, this use was problematic. In this article, I will try to show how his works can be considered as a vehicle for this problem.
Muhammad Zaman and the Problem of Perspective
In some of his paintings, Muhammad Zaman has copied the western paintings. In Persian, it calls “Farangi-sazi” (This terms means making paintings by imitating western themes or techniques). In these paintings perspective has been used almost correctly and shows that he was briefly acquainted with this technique. But he also has “original works” which are more important to my discussion. In the latter works, sometimes the perspective has been done correctly and sometimes incorrectly and unaligned. Although these “original works” have a Persian theme, their form is a combination of western and Persian principles. Contrary to the supposition of a group of researchers, some other scholars have proven that Muhammad Zaman has never traveled to Italy and India. In this article, this issue is not discussed and, instead, his remaining works are addressed. So, in this article, five “original” paintings of Muhammad Zaman are examined: “A meeting between Afrasiab and Garsivaz”, “Fitna and Bahram Gur”, “Simurgh appearing at the birth of Rustam”, “Bestowal of a ring”, and Finally “Head of Iraj presented to Salm and Tur”. I will first show that in them the structure of Iranian painting is combined with the wrong and correct perspectives. There are two hypotheses about the combination of incorrect and correct perspectives of these works: First, Muhammad Zaman did not have a proper understanding of the western linear perspective, which indicates that he had not traveled to Italy and he did not have academic education in painting. The other hypothesis is that he, consciously or unconsciously, realized the contradiction between the Imaginary atmosphere of Persian painting and the Western perspective, and therefore transformed this contradiction to the image as a “question”. In this paper, taking into account some considerations, the second hypothesis is defended. In the final section, two issues are considered: Before Muhammad Zaman and after him. Before him, Behzad, Reza Abbasi and their followers had provided a groundwork for the encounter between Western and Iranian paintings. But perspective was never a problem for them. It was Muhammad Zaman who, using perspectives in his original works, dared and crossed the boundaries of tradition (“Sunnah”). However, he could not find a clear answer. After him, this question was neglected and considered as a style in Iranian painting, the so-called “Farangi-sazi”. His question, however, had the potential to be viewed as a question of painting style, as well as the question about the larger context of our relation with the West.
Conclusion
Iran has inevitably encountered West since the Safavid era, and its arts were no exception. In that time, Muhammad Zaman made new experiences in painting, of which perspective was the most problematic one. His style continued until the Qajar period among some painters. According to some scholars, Kamal-ol-Molk eventually corrected them. But did they make a mistake? Can art be said to be true and false? No! I finally conclude that Muhammad Zaman’s “gaze” was lost, and today we can regard his work as a “visual question” that helps us understand the nature of Iranian art in the modern era.
Ali Salmani, Milad Hatef,
year 5, Issue 18 (3-2022)
year 5, Issue 18 (3-2022)
Abstract
Abstract
The story of Zal and Simorgh is one of the interesting subjects of Shahnameh that has been illustrated many times by painters in different periods. Simorgh appears in Shahnameh with its legendary features. However, there is a close relationship between these features and the characteristics of a number of other creatures in the history of Iranian mythology. Simorgh acts like a mysterious animal in the shamanic religion and breeds Zal like a novice shaman in nature. Zal is sometimes depicted with a veil and sometimes without a veil and naked. Also, in terms of location, Zal is sometimes designed to ride on Simorgh’s back or in his arms or on the plain and on top of a mountain in Simorgh’s nest. The composition of the drawings is such that the further we go, the more acceptable and eye-catching order we see in the drawings. Considering the systematic and hierarchical study of Zal and Simorgh paintings from the Ilkhani to Safavi periods, the approach of artists in depicting the epic aspects of the story and the romantic and spiritual atmosphere that prevails is a point that should be considered in the present study. Let us. The use of common elements in the paintings such as trees, mountains and plains shows the definition of a special framework in “depicting” the story of Zal and Simorgh. This descriptive-analytical method and with a historical approach to the paintings of Zal and Simorgh illustrated in various Shahnamehs has reached the conclusion that in each painting, the influence of the school of each period can be clearly seen and also the elements used in the paintings are almost similar to each other.
Keywords: Shahnameh, Iranian painting, Zal, Simorgh.
Introduction
In this research, the paintings of Zal and Simorgh in different Shahnamehs from the Ilkhanid period to the end of the Safavid period, which have been illustrated by artists, are examined. In this study, we have tried to answer questions such as how the paintings are executed, how they are painted and the elements of these paintings are combined.
Research method: This research uses a descriptive-analytical method and a historical approach to study the paintings of Zal and Simorgh that have been illustrated in different Shahnamehs. Also, information was collected by library method and authoritative academic dissertations, articles and websites contributed to advancing the objectives of this study.
The subject of Zal and Simorgh has been discussed in articles which are: “The opposition of nature and culture in the painting of Zal and Simorgh” by Zahra Rahnavard (2009) in which the paintings have been studied in a symbolic framework. In the article “History of Simorgh in Ancient Iran” (2016), the cultural roots of Simorgh in Iran and its nomenclature have been studied and in the article “A Look at the Forms of Rashida Shahnameh Paintings” Pakzad (2014) Rashida Shahnameh Paintings Are. Also, in the article “Study of Shamanism and other spells in the story of Rostam and Esfandiar” written by Aminipour (2017), the story of Zal’s birth and how he became a shaman has been studied.
Conclusion
According to the mentioned contents, the following results have been obtained;
1. Zal and Simorgh paintings of the first school of Tabriz in the patriarchal period have been somewhat influenced by Chinese art traditions. The rocks are very simply drawn, showing the species of abstraction. Zal is depicted with human cover and in Simorgh design, the effect of Chinese painting is mainly observed.
2. In Isfahan, the patriarchal period is generally characterized by raw abstraction. Simorgh free from splendor are designed naked. The rocks are depicted symbolically. In general, the division of the painting space into four parts, including Zal and Simorgh at the top of the painting, and rabbits and statues at the bottom, has achieved a relatively eye-catching order.
3. In the Shiraz school of the Al-Inju period, large engravings and a uniform golden background are evident. Zal is depicted in white and Simorgh with golden feathers and a dark beige head.
4. In the Shiraz school of the Al-Muzaffar period, a very simple composition can be seen by dividing the space into two parts, Zal, Simorgh and caravans. In general, the background of the painting is divided into two parts under the influence of composition by turquoise and gold colors. Zal riding on Simorgh are naked and Simorgh are depicted in abstract ways.
5. The Herat school of the Baysanghar period was like a launching pad in Iranian painting. There is no sign of abstraction in the painting. The artist has creatively balanced the painting. Zal and Simorgh in the center of the image, the tree and Sam on the right and the rocks on the left create a dynamic balance image. Unusual colors and the shape of the rocks indicate the evolution of painting in this period.
6. The most basic feature of the Isfahan school was the artist’s interest in showing the movement of statues, which aesthetically considered the wavy, twisted and curved Islamic form in relation to all the elements of the subject. In the graphic used in this school, the method is used. Zal is standing in front of Sam with white cups, red hair, holding hands. The splendor of the tree in this painting, unlike other paintings, is noticeable. The rocks are dimmer and occupy a small part of the image.
7. In the painting related to Qazvin school, a completely different atmosphere is seen from other paintings. Simorgh nest can be seen on the top of a very tall tree that stretches from the middle of a cliff. Zal is in the arms of Simorgh and Simorgh itself is depicted with warm colored wings and cold colored feathers. The sharp shape of the rocks makes Simorgh’s nest invincible.
8. The peak of glory, taste and creativity of an artist can be seen in the painting done in Isfahan school. In general, the composition in this painting and its masterful coloring have created a dreamy atmosphere consisting of four chapters. The sponge rocks on which the Simorgh nest is located, reflect the talent of Fayyaz Negargar as much as possible.
9. In this painting, there is no sign of the splendid decorations of the Isfahan school. It can be admitted that there is a kind of rawness in the whole image. Simorgh, while flying from his lair, embraces Zal and returns him to his father Sam. Also, most of the image space is covered by rocks and mountains.
10. A beautiful and regular work, Zal and Sam are depicted in two corners of the painting, facing each other, one riding on the back of Simorgh and one on the plain. Rocks play a lesser role, although they cover about half of the image.
11. The use of cool colors in depicting Simorgh and the light colors of rocks and mountains, which are all white, and the uniform dark background of the plain is noticeable. Zal is also depicted on top of rocks and naked with white hair.
12. A clear example of a masterpiece of Iranian painting that was created in the school of Tabriz II. Simorgh’s masterful design and painting is a manifestation of his glory and awe. The color of the rocks is also in harmony with the colors used in Simorgh and is reminiscent of sea waves.
In general, Zal and Simorgh paintings have a similar generality in terms of visual structure and execution style, but the color scheme of the elements has been dramatically and fundamentally different and has been influenced by the school of time and the taste of the painter.
Ali Salmani, Blal Nikpey,
year 8, Issue 30 (1-2025)
year 8, Issue 30 (1-2025)
Abstract
Abstract For the first time, “Mirza-Babai Esfahani” paid attention to the still life with the curtain “Yalda Night” in the Qajar period. In this period, under the influence of political, cultural and social conditions and influenced by factors such as the establishment of the printing press and the end of the era of book writing, familiarity with the thoughts of the Enlightenment era, courtiers who were deeply fascinated and intimidated by Western civilization, familiarity with photography and... the mission and function of art It underwent substantial changes. And the elements of Western art prevailed over the tradition of Iranian painting. So we come across an interesting paradox: the first screen of still life, which is a completely western genre, became the last bastion of resistance of Iranian painting elements. In this article, based on the historical, descriptive, analytical method, and by addressing the cultural and political conditions of the Safavid and Qajar eras, why Iranian painters, despite being familiar with Western works and greatly influenced by their art, do not pay attention to the genre of nature. Didn’t they die? What were the reasons for the emergence of this genre in the works of “Mirza-Baba” with a delay of two centuries? With this aim, the link between the popularization of realism and attention to nature in the works of Kalk Behzad’s heirs during the Safavid period, which is considered a turning point in the history of Iranian painting, to the creation of the first still life scene two centuries after these developments, let’s find. Keywords: Painting, Naturalism, Still Life, Realism, Painting. Introduction Countless illustrated books with historical, scientific, religious themes, love and lyrical mysticism and the representation of royal glory and glory have been left as a memory of those days; which is the result of the collective work of artists and writers and of course the result of commissions and royal workshops1, not the product of the free and creative spirit of the artist as a subject. Iranian painters paid attention to still life for the first time during the Qajar period and basically in this period, they were able to discover their creations independently of the orders of the court and by distancing themselves from the traditions governing Iranian painting, book writing, etc., as independent artists with genius. From this point of view, it is very important to pay attention to inanimate nature, especially in the works of Mirza-Babai Isfahani; And in addition to representing the political, social and cultural situation of that era, it can be considered a turning point in the history of Iranian painting. What the authors of this article are trying to analyze and deal with is this point; Why, despite the fact that Iranian painters were introduced to Western works during the Safavid era and accepted significant influences from the tradition of Western painting, they never paid attention to still life? However, due to reasons such as the relative independence of artists from the court and the emergence of the urban middle class as new patrons of artists and the familiarity of courtiers and artists with Western and Gorkan works, we witnessed significant developments in Iranian painting. What were the reasons for Iranian painters’ attention to still life in the Qajar period? With the aim of finding the connection line between the emergence of realism and the consideration of nature in the works of Kalk Behzad’s heirs during the Safavid period as a turning point in the history of Iranian painting, until the first scene of still life in the two centuries after those developments. Still life in Europe, and the fields of its emergence Still life in the 17th century, which was noticed again in the Protestant Netherlands, is the result of the freedom of the creative spirit and the genius of the individual and independent artist. Affected by the political, economic and religious issues of that era, it flourished. However, the ancient works were created in a different context and with a different function and could not be the product of the artist’s individual genius and creativity. As a result of the Reformation - the Protestant revolt against the Church of Rome (c. 1517) - religious painting in northern Europe suffered a serious decline, thus European society, even in the Middle Ages, has not seen a stricter position than Protestant theology in relation to art and the field of aesthetics. Insistence on eternal salvation and his decisive distinction between the earthly and heavenly spheres, in addition to depriving the artists of the support of the church without any financial resources. He had also emptied religious places and churches of all images and statues. Collecting pre-Christian myths and subjects related to classical art and literature was considered forbidden. Gardner raises a question in his enduring work “Art in the Passage of Time” whose answer is definitely considered one of the main factors of the developments in the art of that period in Europe and especially in the Netherlands. “Religious themes, or later classical and historical themes, were the main motivations for artistic creation during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. What else did the art world, deprived of these sources, have to enrich the lives of the wealthy Dutch?” (Gardner, 1381: 523) The painters who were independent from their employers and the ruling foundations of the church and created their works by relying on their own taste and creativity; which was one of the heavy consequences of this independence. Now they had to deal with the public buyers and attract the opinion of a large number of customers. In this way, Dutch artists in the 17th century, considering their leisure and independence, and of course in response to the interests of rich buyers who wanted paintings to hang on the walls of their houses - understood the signs of wealth, aristocracy and social status - as the common words of the people Alley and bazaar can shape the words of a beautiful song, ordinary everyday objects can create a masterpiece.” (Gumbridge, 2013: 420) The little Dutch masters simulated the least valuable objects that only have meaning in the presence of humans or in the lives of humans, so humbly and respectfully; that the viewer thinks he is watching some sacred objects” (Gardner, 2011: 531). The first curtain of still life, the last bastion of resistance of Iranian traditions from Safavid to Qajar During the Safavid era and according to the political and social conditions of that time, western traditions influenced Iranian painting. It can be said that Isfahan school painting was a fusion of western and Iranian traditions. Western elements were carefully used by Iranian artists. Iran at that time was unified, unified and glorious, and certainly in such conditions, artists and the middle class are not intimidated by the excitement of the cultural and artistic elements of the West. Many Iranian traditions were still respected, and efforts were being made to restore them. Of course, the developments in Iranian painting were not the result of intellectual developments and had no ideological base; And just by observing the western painting, it was also manifested in the works of Iranian artists. For this reason, in many cases, the adaptations seemed incomplete and clumsy. There was no still life in Iranian painting before the Qajar period, and although objects were part of the composition of images, they were not placed in front of the artist as an independent subject for painting. In the Qajar period, examples can be found where the objects are not the margins but the entire text of the painting. In the still life painting by Mirza-Babai Esfahani, pomegranates, pears, watermelons, vases and other objects are placed together in such a way that they form the main subject of the painting. These other objects are related to a legend, epic, text and or they are not poems. Their beauty and their painting aspect is the attention of the painter.” (Kord Noghani, 1397: 108) Conclusion In the early 10th century AD, with the emergence of the Safavid dynasty, we witnessed significant changes in the political, social and cultural fields, which influenced the art of that period. And took a new path. However, realism, naturalistic tendencies, new subjects and styles such as bright shadow, perspective, depth, as well as the weakening of the relationship between painting and literature, as a result of the decline of the hegemony of royal workshops and the rise of the middle class, entered Iranian painting. But the painters of this period did not pay attention to still life. At that time, Iran was experiencing its period of power and greatness, and it was not yet so enamored with western traditions that it forgot all Iranian elements and customs. Although the influence of the court workshops was reduced; But it still played a decisive role in the evolution of Iranian art. As a result, Iranian artists still did not have the necessary independence. And still, bibliography is considered the main painting activity at this stage. Creativity, genius, and individual independence of the artist as a subject was not limited; who can get rid of all traditions at once, and create a personal work with completely individual compositions and using everyday elements. As if it took some time for this process to go through and during the Qajar period, Mirza-Baba Esfahani recorded the first experience of still life. It can be concluded that the Iranian artist discovers objects in his new era and this new art - not industry - whose connection with text and literature has loosened and gained relative independence, is in search of a subject for the image. The eyes of the artist - not the craftsman - find this theme in the objects around them and placing them next to each other in a beautiful way; Undoubtedly, the diminution of the educational role of the royal workshops and the spread of university and modern education have been very important in discovering the genius and creativity of the artists of that period.
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